Vehicle destination sign mechanisms



y 15, 1956 R. KREINBERG 2,745,199

VEHICLE DESTINATION SIGN MECHANISMS Filed May 21, 1952 INVENTOR RuseELLKREINBER ATTORNEY United States Patent VEHICLE DEST1NATION SIGNMECHANISMS Russell Kreinberg, Nan-berth, Pa., 'assiguor to ElectricService Manufacturing Co., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation ofPennsylvania Application May 21, 1952, Serial No. 289,127

7 Claims. (Cl. 40-86) This invention relates generally to vehicledestination sign mechanisms and is more particularly concerned withmeans for mounting the curtain rollers thereof.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a curtain roller of avehicle destination sign mechanism with means whereby the roller may bereleased by the use of one hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a curtain rollerwherein said means is of the quick detachable type.

And another object of this invention is to provide a curtain rollerbearing which is comparatively simple in design and construction andwhich is comparatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects of the present invention will be apparent from thefollowing description, itbeing understood that the present inventionconsists substantially in the combination, construction, location andrelative arrangement of parts, or described in detail hereinafter, asshown in the accompanying drawing and as finally pointed out in theappended claims.

In .the accompanying drawings:

Figure '1 is a rear view of a vehicle destination sign mechanismembodying the present invention, par-ts being omitted or broken away tobetter expose others;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the upper bearing shown in Figure 1looking at the bearing from the rear thereof;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the lower bearing shown in Figure 1looking at the rear thereof;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the upper bearing shown in Figure 1looking at the front thereof;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the lower bearing shown in Figure 1looking at the front thereof;

'Figure -6 is a sectional view on line '66 of Figure 4 showing thebearing blocks positioned to abut one another; and

Figure 7 is similar to Figure 6 but shows the bearing blocks separatedby the roller shaft.

Now referring particularly to the drawing, it will be seen that thevehicle destination sign mechanism of the present invention essentiallycomprises a frame structure mounting a pair of bearings 11) and 11, apair of rollers 12 and 13 associated respectively with bearings and 11,a curtain 14 on the rollers and a mechanism for shifting the curtain 14on the rollers 12 and 13.

The frame structure of the general combination comprises a pair ofhorizontally spaced side members in .the form of rigid plates 16 and 17provided respectively with flange parts 18 and 19 through the medium ofwhich the plates 16 and 17 are connected together by a transverselyextending member (not shown).

The pair of bearings 10 and 11 mounted by the frame structure are madeopposite hand to one another but otherwise are alike. Consequently, adescription of the bearing 10 should suffice for the purpose of thisdisclosure. Referring particularly to Figures 2, 4, 6 and 7, it will beseen that the bearing 10 comprises a pair of bear- "ice .Patented May15, 1956 2 ing blocks 21 and 22, a coil spring 23 and a retaining member2 4.

The latter is preferably a single sheet metal stamping having a mainbody portion in the form of a housing which accommodates the bearingblocks 21 and 22 and the coil spring 23. The housing is provided with avertically disposed main wall 26 which is generally rectangular in shapeand side walls 27, 28, 29, 31 and 32 which are turned in the samedirection out of the plane of the main wall 26 and disposed normalthereto. The side walls 27 and 28 are further disposed in parallelvertically spaced opposed relation .to one another, and the side walls29 on the one hand and ,31 and 32 on the other hand are further disposedin parallel horizontally spaced opposed relation to one another, theside walls 31 and 32 being still further disposed in a common plane andin spaced relation to one another. The sidewalls 27 and 28 arerespectively provided with outwardly turned flanges 33 and 34 disposedin a common plane which is parallel to the main wall 26, and which are.apertured as at 36 and 37. The side walls 27 and 28 are respectivelyprovided with opposed coaxially related apertures 38 and 39, the edgesof which are pressed inwardly to respectively form spring seat elements41 and 42. A portion of the main wall 26 intermediate the side walls 27and 28 is cut out to provide a notch 43, the opposed edges of which arein horizontal continuation of the spaced inner edges of the side walls31 and 32.

The bearing blocks 21 and 22 are identical. They are preferably made ofbrass bar stock which is rectangular in transverse cross section, thelatter being such as to afford vertical shifting movement of thebearings when they are disposed one over the other within their housing.The remote end portions of the bearing blocks 21 and 22 are respectivelyprovided with sockets 4444 which are coaxi-ally related to the springseat elements 41 and 42. Referring particularly to Figure 7, it will beseen that the proximate surfaces of bearing blocks 21 and 22 are eachformed with reversely inclined surface portions 46 and 47, which mergeto form a rounded projec- :tion 48 which is spaced forwardly of ahorizontal surface portion 49 of the rear or inner end of the block.

Now referring particularly to Figure 6, it will be seen that when thebearing blocks 21 and 22 are disposed in close adjacent relation to oneanother the diverging surface portions 46-46 together form a taperedentrance way between the side walls 31 and 32 leading into a closed seat'8 for receiving one end of the curtain roller shaft, said seat beingnormally closed at its forward end by the abutting projections 4 8 48and at its rear end by the abutting horizontal surface portions 49-49 ofthe opposed bearing blocks 21 and 22.

The bearing "block 22 is mounted flush against the side wall 28, thespring seat element 42 projecting upwardly into the associated socket44. For urging the bearing block '21 downwardly upon the block 22 a coilspring 23 is provided, this coil spring 23 being disposed to reactbetween the .side wall 27 and the bearing block 21 with its upper endembracing the spring seat element 41 and its lower end seated in thesocket 44.

As stated hereinbefore, the bearings 10 and 11 are made opposite hand toone another, and consequently when they are secured to the inside ofrigid plate 16, as by rivets '50 projected through the apertured flangesof the retaining members and through plate 16, with the tapered entranceWays thereof presenting in the same direction, i. e., for wardly, thespring pressed bearing blocks 2121 are positioned respectively proximatethe top and bottom of the frame structure.

The pair of rollers 12 and 13 associated respectively with the bearings10 and 11 are each provided with a pair of flanges 51-51 disposed atopposite ends thereof and are each further provided with shaft parts 52and 53 coaxially related thereto and extending beyond the flanges 51-51.The shaft parts 52-52 are engaged respectively with the bearings and 11,each being projected into the normally closed seats S formed by thesurface portions 47-47 and 48-48 of the associated bearing blocks 21 and22. The shaft parts 53-53 are respectively projected into sleevebushings 54-54 carried by rigid plate 17 which is apertured to suitablyamount the same.

The curtain 14 is provided with opposite end portions suitably securedrespectively to the rollers 12 and 13, the curtain being of such a widthas to fit between the flanges 51 and being of such a length as tonormally have portions thereof wound on each roller 12 and 13.

For shifting the curtain upwardly or downwardly a mechanism is providedfor rotating the rollers 12 and 13 in the same direction for selectivelydrawing the curtain from one roller and simultaneously Winding it uponthe other. This mechanism includes parts carried by the frame structureand operatively connecting a hand actuated operating knob 56 with therollers 12 and 13 through a gear train including spur gear 61 and 62associated respectively with rollers 12 and 13. A more detaileddescription of this shifting mechanism is deemed to be unnecessary to afull understanding of the present invention. However, it should be notedthat the rollers 12 and 13 are respectively spring loaded and idlermembers, the latter being secured against rotation except through manualoperation of the knob 56, by the shift ing mechanism, and the formeracting to maintain the curtain taut.

In operation, when the knob 56 is turned in either direction theaforementioned gear train is actuated and rollers 12 and 13 are therebyrotated for shifting the curtain 14 from one roller to the other. Theshaft parts 52-52 and 53-53 rotate as required with the rollers 12 and13, the latter turning in sleeve bushings 54-54 and the former in thebearings 10 and 11.

When it is desired to remove the roller 12 from its working position, itis grasped by one hand and turned slightly to develop some slack in thecurtain 14. Then the operator presses upwardly thereon, thereby forcingthe bearing block 21 of bearing 10 to shift upwardly against thepressure of coil spring 23, the bearing block 21 being guided in itsshifting movement by the proximate face of plate 16 and the main wall 26and the side walls 29 and 31 of the housing. Finally, the operator drawsthe roller 12 forwardly from between the bearing blocks 21 and 22 andshifts it to one side to free its shaft portion 53 from the associatedsleeve bushing 54.

When it is desired to remove the roller 13 from its working position,the operator presses downwardly thereon, thereby causing the roller 12to turn slightly against the pressure of its spring means to unwind aportion of the curtain, and thereby forcing the bearing block 21 ofbearing 11 to shift downwardly in a manner similar to that alreadydescribed with regard to the removal of roller 12. Finally, the operatordraws the roller 13 forwardly from between the bearing blocks 21 and 22and shifts it to one side to free its shaft portion 53 from theassociated sleeve bushing, as in the case of the removal of shaft 12.

The rollers 12 and 13 are remounted in the same manner. For example, toremount the roller 12, its shaft part 53 is inserted in the associatedsleeve bushing 54, and then its shaft part 52 is placed in the mouth ofthe bearing 10 and pushed therethrough into the seat S formed by thesurface portions 47-47 and 48-48 of bearing blocks 21 and 22. As theshaft part 52 moves through the mouth of the bearing 10 the bearingblock 21 shifts upwardly against the pressure of coil spring 23, and ascontinued movement positions the shaft part 52 in the aforementionedaperture the bearing block 21 returns to its former position under theinfluence of coil spring 23, in which position the seat S formed by thesurface portions 47-47 and 48-48 of bearing blocks 21 and 22 embracesthe shaft part 52 for rotation of the latter therein. This remountingoperation, it will be noted, is also a one hand operation.

It should be obvious now that means have been provided forquick-detachably mounting a curtain roller of a vehicle destination signmechanism by the use of one hand, and that a curtain roller bearing hasbeen provided which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture by reasonof its open-housing made of a single stamping of sheet material and itshaving duplicate bearing blocks, all of which features simplify assemblyproblems.

The present invention is susceptible to various changes, modificationsand applications which may be made from time to time without departingfrom the principles thereof and it will be understood that it isintended to claim the invention broadly, as well as specifically, asindicated by the appended claims.

What is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a vehicle destination sign mechanism of the character described, aframe structure, a roller shaft carried by said frame structure, andmeans for quick detachably mounting said roller shaft upon said framestructure, said means including a bearing unit comprising a onepiecesheet material housing secured to a portion of said frame structurewhich extends crosswise of said shaft, said housing having a main walland side Walls extending laterally from said main wall for maintainingsaid main wall in spaced relation to said frame structure portion, apair of bearing blocks each disposed in close adjacent relation to saidmain Wall and shiftably fitted between said main wall and framestructure portion on opposite sides of a terminal portion of said rollershaft projected through said main wall, the proximate surfaces of saidbearing blocks being complementally formed for conjointly receiving saidterminal roller shaft portion, and said main Wall and one of thesidewalls of said housing being notched to permit shifting movement ofsaid terminal roller shaft portion laterally of its axis into saidbearing to its position aforesaid between said bearing blocks, and meansin said housing for biasing one of said bearing blocks toward the other.

2. In a vehicle destination sign mechanism of the character described, aframe structure, a roller shaft carried by said frame structure, andmeans for quick detachably mounting said roller shaft upon said framestructure, said means including a bearing unit comprising a one-piecesheet material housing having a main wall and side walls extendinglaterally from said main wall and secured to a portion of said framestructure which extends crosswise of said shaft, the main wall of saidhousing being thereby spaced inwardly from said frame structure portion,a pair of identical one-piece bearing blocks in said housing shiftablyfitted between said main wall and frame structure portion on oppositesides of a terminal portion of said roller shaft projected through saidmain wall, the proximate surfaces of said bearing blocks beingcomplementally formed for conjointly receiving said terminal rollershaft portion, and the main wall and one of the side walls of saidhousing benig notched to permit shifting movement of said terminalroller shaft portion laterally of its axis into said bearing to itsposition aforesaid between said bearing blocks, and spring means betweenanother of said side walls and one of said bearing blocks for biasingthe latter toward the other bearing block.

3. In a vehicle destination sign mechanism of the character described, aframe structure, a roller shaft carried by said frame structure, andmeans for'quick detachably mounting said roller shaft upon said framestructure, said means including a bearing unit comprising a onepiecesheet material housing having a main wall and a frontal wall extendinglaterally from said main wall, said housing being secured to a portionof said frame structure which extends crosswise of said shaft, and saidmain wall being thereby disposed in spaced relation to said framestructure portion, a pair of identical one-piece bearing blocks in saidhousing adapted to be shiftably fitted between said main wall and framestructure portion on opposite sides of a terminal portion of said rollershaft projected through said main wall, the proximate surfaces of saidbearing blocks being complementally formed for conjointly receiving saidterminal roller shaft portion and to provide a tapered entrance-way intosaid bearing, said main and frontal walls being notched in registry withsaid tapered entrance-way into said bearing, and spring means forbiasing one of said bearing blocks toward the other, said means beingoperative to yieldingly press said blocks together to retain saidterminal roller shaft portion against lateral displacement from saidbearing and to permit separation of said bearing blocks upon lateralshifting of the terminal roller shaft portion inwardly and outwardly ofsaid tapered entrance-way and its registering notch in the housing forsaid bearing blocks.

4. In a vehicle destination sign mechanism of the character described, aframe structure comprising a pair of horizontally spaced rigid sidemembers, a pair of vertically spaced roller shafts revolubly mountedbetween said side members, and a pair of bearing units mounted upon oneof the side members of said structure, there being one such unit foreach of said roller shafts, said units each comprising a one-piece sheetmaterial housing having a main wall and side walls extending laterallyfrom said main wall for maintaining said main wall in spaced relation tothe associated side member of said frame, a pair of bearing blocks eachdisposed in close adjacent relation to said main wall and shiftablyfitted between said main wall and the associated side member of saidframe on opposite sides of a terminal portion of said roller shaftprojected through said main wall, the proximate surfaces of said bearingblocks being complementally notched for conjointly receiving saidterminal roller shaft portion, and said main wall and one of thesidewalls of said housing being formed to permit shifting movement ofsaid terminal roller shaft portion laterally of its axis into saidbearing to its position aforesaid between said bearing blocks, and meansin said housing for biasing one of said bearing blocks toward the other,said bearing units being positioned each with its biased bearing blockon the side of its terminal roller shaft portion remote from the otherroller shaft.

5. In a unit of the character described, a bearing for operativelymounting a roller shaft upon a member which extends crosswise of saidroller shaft, a one-piece sheet material housing having a main wall andsidewalls extending laterally from said main wall for maintaining saidmain wall in spaced relation to said member, a pair of bearing blockseach disposed in close adjacent relation to said main wall and adaptedto be shiftably fitted between said main wall and member on oppositesides of said roller shaft projected through said main wall, theproximate surfaces of said bearing blocks being complementally formedfor conjointly receiving said shaft, and said main wall and one of theside walls of said housing being notched to permit shifting movement ofsaid shaft laterally of its axis into said bearing to its positionaforesaid between said bearing blocks, and means in said housing forbiasing one of said bearing blocks toward the other.

6. In a unit of the character described, a bearing for operativelymounting a roller shaft upon a member which extends crosswise of saidroller shaft, a one-piece sheet material housing having a main wall andside walls extending laterally from said main wall for maintaining saidmain wall in spaced relation to said member, a pair of identicalone-piece bearing blocks in said housing adapted to be shiftably fittedbetween said main wall and member on opposite sides of said roller shaftprojected through said main wall, the proximate surfaces of said bearingblocks being complementally formed for conjointly receiving said shaft,and the main wall and one of the side walls of said housing beingnotched to permit shifting movement of said shaft laterally of its axisinto said bearing to its position aforesaid between said bearing blocks,and spring means between another of said side walls and one of saidbearing blocks for biasing the latter toward the other bearing block.

7. In a unit of the character described, a bearing for operativelymounting a roller shaft upon a member which extends crosswise of saidroller shaft, a one-piece sheet material housing having a main wall anda frontal wall extending laterally from said main wall for maintainingsaid main wall in spaced relation to said member, a pair of identicalone-piece bearing blocks in said housing adapted to be shiftably fittedbetween said main wall and member on opposite sides of said roller shaftprojected through said main wall, the proximate surfaces of said bearingblocks being complementally formed for conjointly receiving said shaftand to provide a tapered entrance-way into said bearing, said main andfrontal walls being notched in registry with said tapered entrance-wayinto said bearing, and spring means for biasing one of said bearingblocks toward the other, said means being operative to yieldingly presssaid blocks together to retain said roller shaft against lateraldisplacement from said bearing and to permit separation of said bearingblocks upon lateral shifting of the shaft inwardly and outwardly of saidtapered entrance-way and its registering notch in the housing for saidbearing blocks.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS830,135 Corman Sept. 4, 1906 1,595,115 Myers Aug. 10, 1926 1,614,714Castille Jan. 18, 1927 2,115,049 Suckel Apr. 26, 1938 2,306,634MacDonald Dec. 29, 1942 2,337,567 North et a1. Dec. 28, 1943

